


Next Time

by thatsoddlyromantic



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-08-29 05:16:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8476771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsoddlyromantic/pseuds/thatsoddlyromantic
Summary: Danvers sister night is unexpectedly interrupted when Maggie calls Alex up to invite her out for a drink.





	1. Chapter 1

Alex was sitting on the couch with Kara, boxes of Chinese takeout in front of them and an episode of Veep playing on the television screen. They were having one of their "sister nights" in, as Kara called them, which had become something of a weekly tradition. And between everything that had been happening in their personal and professional lives recently, it was good for both of them to unwind. Kara was still trying to find her footing within her newfound calling as a reporter, the DEO (and Supergirl) had been called in multiple times to deal with hostile aliens... and then there was Maggie Sawyer. 

Alex hadn't known quite what to make of the detective when she first arrived on the scene, seeing her as somewhat of a threat. She had tried to come across as unshakeable, staking claim on her territory, but the truth was that Maggie intimidated the hell out of her. And Alex Danvers was not someone who was intimidated easily. She had no problem kicking ass and taking names, going up against extraterrestrial threats on a regular basis and walking away at the end of the day almost completely unscathed (at least most of the time). But Maggie - well, Maggie was a whole other story entirely. 

There was something about her that made Alex feel constantly caught off guard, despite the fact they were essentially on equal footing. Maggie carried herself with a cool confidence, acting as if no one could phase her - and oh yeah, she was into girls, a fact she had casually thrown out there like it was nothing. _Which to her,_ Alex reasoned, _it probably was._

Just as Kara was reaching for another potsticker, Alex's phone suddenly vibrated. 

"Who is it?" Kara asked. She leaned over to peek at her sister's phone.

Alex looked at the caller ID and was surprised to see that it was Maggie. Alex wondered what Maggie would be calling her about at this time of night. It was probably important though, she thought. Alex got up and walked over to the other side of the room as she answered the phone, not knowing what to expect. 

"Sawyer."

"Danvers."

"Is everything okay? There wasn't another hostage situation or something, was there?"

Maggie laughed on the other end of the line.

"Nope, nothing like that." Maggie paused for a moment. "Hey Danvers, you doing anything right now?"

"Doing anything... well, right now I'm just at home with my sister Kara, you know, having some sister bonding time... why?" Alex asked, unaware that she was rambling.

"Well, if I invited you out for a drink, would you be up for joining me?"

Alex felt her heartbeat quicken. There Maggie was, throwing her completely off guard again. And over what, just the idea of going out for a drink? A million thoughts raced through Alex's mind in the course of a few seconds. She glanced over at Kara on the couch, who was glued to the tv.

"Can Kara come too?" Alex blurted out. 

She immediately felt stupid for following up Maggie's question that way, by asking if her sister could tag along. _Get with it, Danvers!_

"Well," Maggie said, "I was thinking of it just being you and me."

"Oh!" Alex replied, the surprise evident in her tone. "So... is this next time then?"

"Yeah, I guess it is," Maggie said, smiling as she thought back to her last conversation with Alex and the offer she had extended. "So you in, Danvers?

Alex paused for a moment until finally responding.

"I'm in, Sawyer."

"Great! See you at the usual place then in about half an hour."

Just as Alex was about to say something - exactly what, she didn't know - Maggie hung up the phone.

Kara raised an eyebrow at Alex in curiosity. 

"What was that about?" she asked.

Alex stalled, trying to come up with a believable answer.

"I have to go meet someone," she said. Which wasn't a lie, since that was in fact what she planned on doing.

"Right now?" Kara questioned, slightly perplexed and disappointed. "But it's our sister night!"

"Yeah, it's a thing. For work," Alex clarified. Which again, wasn't a total lie since she and Maggie did work together.

Kara pouted, which made Alex feel guilty for ditching her on what was supposed to be a night meant for sisterly bonding. But then again, her sister was Supergirl after all. There had been countless occasions where Kara needed to run off somewhere and go save the day without much of an explanation, so why was this that different? 

Of course, going on a date wasn't exactly the same thing as saving the world - _not that this was a date,_ Alex mentally clarified. Because it wasn't, especially since Maggie had a girlfriend. Which meant she wouldn't be asking Alex on a date. It would just be two... friends? colleagues? - whatever they were, going out for a drink.

"Sorry, but duty calls," Alex said, slinging her leather jacket over her shoulder as she headed out the door. "You know how it is."

Kara sighed, understanding all too well what Alex meant. 

"When will you be back?" she asked.

"I won't be gone long. Promise."

With that, Alex was out the door. Once she was outside she revved up her motorcycle, then hopped on and drove off in the direction of the bar.


	2. Chapter 2

After Alex had pulled into the familiar secret location and parked her motorcycle, she checked the time on her phone. _8:53_ , it read. _Seven minutes ahead of when Maggie had said to be there._ Which was good, since she'd have a few minutes to herself once she got inside. Maybe she could take a shot before Maggie showed up to help ease her nerves. Alex took her helmet off and hung it on one of the handlebars before walking over to the door.

"Dollywood," she said matter-of-factly into the opening in the wooden slat.

As soon as she'd uttered the password, the door opened. Alex walked inside, surveying the scene.

The bar was packed, which was hardly surprising since it was a Friday night, after all. Inside were aliens of all shapes and sizes, milling about amongst themselves. Some were sitting at the barstools. Some were dancing to the Dolly Parton song that was playing. And yet, Alex felt as if all eyes were on her. She made her way through the crowd as she scanned the room in search of an empty table. Just as Alex thought she'd spotted one, however, she noticed that someone was already sitting there.

"There you are, Danvers," an all-too-familiar voice said. "Glad you decided to show."

Much to Alex's shock, occupying the table was none other than Maggie Sawyer. She wore an outfit similar to Alex's - dark jeans and a t-shirt with a leather jacket layered over top - looking every bit as cool and composed as Alex was used to seeing her.

"Well, why wouldn't I come?" Alex asked as she walked over to Maggie's table. She took a seat across from Maggie, leaning forward a little. "Funny enough, I actually thought I'd get here first."

"Guess I beat you to it, huh?" Maggie smirked, leaning back in her chair.

Alex found herself feeling somewhat flustered. She wasn't used to someone else constantly having the upper hand, and suffice it to say, she found it incredibly frustrating. But there was another part of her that felt something else altogether about Maggie and her cockiness - a feeling that she couldn't quite place.

"So what's your drink of choice?" Alex asked, trying to steer the conversation down a path she could control.

"Tequila for me," Maggie answered, confident in her choice. She looked right at Alex. "How about you, Danvers? What's your poison?"

"I'm more of a whiskey girl myself," Alex said. She could feel her heartbeat quickening just as it had earlier on the phone.

Maggie whistled. "You know, somehow that doesn't surprise me."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Well you're tough, don't take any crap from people... I like that."

Maggie smiled at her in a way that made her heart beat even faster, but before Alex had much time to think about what it meant, Maggie took hold of her hand and started walking over to the bar. Alex had no choice but to follow. She grabbed Maggie's hand in return, looking at their intertwined fingers.

"Come on, Danvers. Drinks are on me," Maggie said with a grin.

* * *

 

A couple drinks later, Alex found herself wondering what exactly the nature of this little night out was. For one thing, Maggie looked at her in a way that seemed a little bit more than friendly. Their conversations had a playful tone, the two of them exchanging banter back and forth in a way that almost seemed flirtatious. But still there was the elephant in the room. Maggie was seeing someone. So whatever this was couldn't be a date - _could it?_

"So, how are things with your girlfriend?" Alex asked, not particularly interested in the answer but hoping for some clarification.

She took a sip of her whiskey, steeling herself for Maggie to tell her all about her newfound love life.

"Funny you should ask. We actually broke up yesterday."

Maggie shrugged.

Alex nearly choked on her drink.

"W-what?"

 _Okay, not the answer she'd expected._ She hoped that Maggie wasn't able to detect the sudden change in her demeanor.

"Yeah, it just wasn't working out between us, she was into me more than I was into her... you okay, Danvers?"

Alex had zoned out a little, Maggie's voice snapping her back into reality. Where Maggie sat across from her, at a bar, just the two of them...

"Yeah! I'm good," Alex said. She took a deep breath, glancing around the bar. "Is this -" she said, gesturing between the two of them - "is this a date?"

This time it was Maggie who seemed to be surprised.

"Do you want it to be?" she asked, raising an eyebrow and tilting her head to the side.

Alex felt more out of her comfort zone than ever. She shifted in her seat nervously.

"It's just that, um, I haven't been on a date in two years, and I thought you were still seeing someone so I didn't think this could be a date but it sort of feels like one? And I like you."

_Whoa. Where had that last part come from?_

Maggie leaned forward, her expression softening as she looked into Alex's eyes.

"You mean... as more than a partner?"

Alex felt her cheeks grow hot. She nodded in response, her thoughts racing as fast as her heart. The world around her felt as if it had come to a standstill in that moment, and there was no one else but her and Maggie. Then, she did something that surprised them both. She leaned forward and kissed Maggie. It was a passionate kiss, fueled by raw emotion and tasting of alcohol. Maggie kissed her back, her lips crashing into Alex's the way she'd longed to kiss her for days. They stayed like that for a few seconds, eyes closed and lips locked, until the kiss came to an abrupt end.

It was Alex who pulled away, her eyes wide and her heart pounding in her chest. She looked at Maggie, who seemed to be awaiting an explanation for what had just happened. An explanation which didn't come. Instead, Alex wordlessly got up from the table and ran out of the bar.

"Alex!" Maggie called out. She hurriedly got up and tried to catch up with Alex, running out into the street. But it was too late. Alex was gone. Maggie stood at the entrance of the bar, hearing the faint sound of a motorcycle zooming away into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

The apartment door burst open suddenly, which startled Kara. She was still sitting on the couch, eating ice cream while a rerun of some sitcom played on the television screen. She jumped at the sudden noise and instantly turned to look at the doorway. Much to her relief, it was Alex. The oldest Danvers sister walked briskly into the room, looking visibly shaken about something.

 

"Well, I'm back," Alex said, forcing a smile. "Hope you didn't miss me too much."

 

"Are you okay?" Kara asked, taking in her sister's slightly disheveled appearance. "Oh my god, did you and Maggie get in a fight or something?"

 

Alex couldn't help but laugh.

 

"Yeah, something like that," she said. She paused for a moment, realizing that she hadn’t told Kara who she had gone to see. “Wait… how did you know I was with Maggie?”

 

Alex had been on the other side of the room when she took the phone call, meaning that there was no way that Kara could have heard her conversation. Not unless…

 

_Oh no. She didn’t._

Alex narrowed her eyes as she looked at her sister, realizing how exactly Kara had known who was on the other end of the line.

 

“Kara. You used your super hearing when I was on the phone?!”

 

Kara looked at Alex sheepishly. _Crap._ She’d been caught.

 

“Sorry!” Kara exclaimed, throwing her hands up. “I just wanted to know who you were talking to, that’s all.”

 

“Well, you could have just asked instead of listening in like that,” Alex snapped.

 

Kara looked a little hurt, clearly surprised by the tone Alex had taken with her. Alex immediately felt bad.

 

“Sorry… it’s been a rough night.”

 

 _That was an understatement._ But there was no way she was telling Kara what had really just gone on between her and Maggie. Not when she herself didn't even know what it meant.

 

Alex had wanted to get out of the bar as fast as she could after the kiss had happened - the kiss that she had initiated, nonetheless. She had hopped on her motorcycle without a second thought, putting her helmet on just as she felt the tears coming. She was safe with her helmet on, her face and her thoughts hidden behind its shield. _No one could see her cry now._ Alex didn’t even know why she was crying. She didn’t know why she had kissed Maggie, and how much, if anything, the whiskey had to do with it. But in that moment, it had just felt _right_. And Maggie had kissed her back. But Maggie liked girls – that was the difference. Maggie Sawyer liked girls and Alex Danvers didn’t. At least, Alex didn’t _think_ she did. If Maggie had kissed her first, it would’ve been easy for her to dismiss what had happened. But that wasn’t the case. Not a damn thing made sense to her right now, all because of that kiss. All Alex had known was that she wanted to get back to Kara’s apartment immediately.

 

Alex felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She felt her stomach flip, knowing that it was probably Maggie. After all, there weren’t many other people who even had her number, and she had left Maggie at the table without as much as a ‘goodbye’. But she wasn’t ready to see what Maggie had to say. Not yet, anyways. Her phone buzzed again and she ignored it, going to join Kara on the couch for the second time that night. _Where she should have stayed._

 

“Want some?” Kara asked, offering Alex the pint of ice cream and a spoon with a sympathetic look. It was Alex’s favourite – chocolate peanut butter.

 

Alex nodded and gratefully accepted the ice cream, instantly scooping her spoon into it. She closed her eyes, savouring the rich, sweet fusion of flavour as it overcame the lingering aftertaste of whiskey.

 

“Do you want to talk about what happened with Maggie?” Kara asked.

 

Alex shook her head, instead opting to take another spoonful of chocolate-and-peanut-buttery goodness. She needed it right now. More than Kara could imagine.

 

“If she did something to hurt you, I swear, I’ll – “

 

“She didn’t, don’t worry,” Alex said, quickly cutting Kara off. She didn’t want her sister confronting Maggie. _Who knew what Maggie would tell her?_

 

Alex sighed. “Look, I don’t really want to talk about it.”

 

Kara knew her sister well enough to know that whatever happened that night had really taken a toll on her. Alex wasn’t usually like this. She had been unusually testy with Kara about her listening in on the phone call, and now she just seemed plain upset. Kara wished there was something she could do to help, even though she didn’t know exactly what was causing Alex to feel this way. At least it wasn’t something Maggie had done.

 

The two sisters sat on the couch, passing the pint of ice cream between them. Alex had tuned out whatever was playing on the television, too absorbed in her own thoughts to pay attention to much else. She was just glad to be back home with Kara. The events of the night were already starting to become a blur in her mind as the effects of the whiskey were wearing off. After a little while longer had passed, Kara got up.

“I should probably get some sleep soon. Got an early morning at CatCo,” she explained. She turned to Alex. “You can totally crash here for the night if you want though.”

 

“Thanks for the offer, sis, but I think I should probably head home.”

 

“You sure?” Kara asked. “It’s getting kind of late.”

 

“Yeah… I’ve got important stuff to do for work,” Alex replied, getting up from the couch.

 

Her phone buzzed in her pocket yet again. Alex sighed, realizing she couldn’t just keep ignoring it. “And I should probably answer my texts… something tells me it’s Maggie.”

 

“Well, hopefully the two of you work things out,” Kara said, giving Alex an encouraging smile.

 

Alex hugged Kara, who hugged her back. At times like this, she was incredibly glad to have such a caring sister.

 

“Thanks… I hope so too,” Alex said, knowing fully well it was her who had the working out to do. _God, Maggie probably thought she hated her._ She hadn’t looked at her phone once since getting back to Kara’s apartment.

 

“Right. I’m gonna head to bed now,” Kara said. “But I’m just a call away if you need me though, okay?”

 

Alex nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

 

Kara stood there awkwardly, not quite knowing what she could say or do in the moment to help.

 

“Okay, well… goodnight!”

 

“Night!”

 

While Kara headed to her room, Alex left the apartment. Once she was outside, she took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling the fresh air. Then, she reached into her pocket and took out her phone. As expected, her screen lit up with a few missed calls and numerous texts – all of which were from Maggie. _Crap._

 

She scrolled through the messages, skimming over each one until she got to the most recent text.

 

_Look. Just… call me when you’re ready to talk about it, okay? No rush though._

Alex’s heart pounded in her chest. Suddenly everything became all too real for her again, and she was reminded what had caused her emotions to go into overdrive. But she knew she had to respond. After all, she did like working with Maggie, and she didn’t want that relationship to fall apart just because she couldn’t take accountability for her actions. No, she needed to talk to Maggie. Thankfully, Alex’s own apartment wasn’t too far away.

* * *

 

 

Once she was home, Alex went and sat on her couch. It was a little past midnight by this point. She likely would have been in bed herself had it just been a typical night. But right now, she was wide awake. She took her phone out and stared at it for a few moments, mentally debating whether or not she was making the right decision. Finally, she scrolled through her (very small) list of contacts in search of Maggie’s name, pressing the ‘call’ button before she had time to talk herself out of it.

 

The phone rang for a few moments before Maggie picked up.

 

“Danvers.”

 

Alex’s breathing hitched upon hearing Maggie’s voice. There was no turning back now – she had to talk to her. Even though she didn’t feel like she’d ever really be ready to, she had to at least try. Alex leaned back into the couch and closed her eyes as she answered the phone, heart racing.

 

“Sawyer."


	4. Chapter 4

“I was wondering when you’d call,” Maggie said. She paused. “So does this mean you’re ready to talk about it?”

 

“I’m guessing by ‘it’, you mean what happened last night?” Alex asked, even though she knew that was exactly what Maggie had been referring to.

 

“Yeah. So was that just the alcohol talking… or something else?”

 

Maggie waited patiently for Alex to explain exactly what had happened. The line was silent for a moment as Alex tried to collect her thoughts.

 

“I… well…”

 

“Go on, I’m listening,” Maggie gently urged.

 

The softness in her voice made Alex feel even more vulnerable than she already did, because she could tell that Maggie genuinely cared about what she had to say. And here she was thinking that Maggie was going to be mad at her.

 

“I kissed you,” Alex finally blurted out. “At the bar.”

 

“Yeah, you did,” Maggie said. Alex could hear a hint of a smile in her voice, which reassured her but at the same time made her even more nervous. She didn’t understand how Maggie could have such an effect on her.

 

“The thing is, I – I don’t think it was because of the alcohol. I think –“ Alex took a deep breath, the words lingering on the tip of her tongue. “I think it was because of me.”

 

Now it was Maggie who was quiet for a moment.

 

“Are you sure?” she asked softly.

 

“I mean, I’m not sure-sure, but, well, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it all night,” Alex rambled. “And I don’t know what it means, except that something made me want to do that… something inside of me, um…”

 

Alex bit her lip in frustration and leaned back into the couch, wishing she could sink into it in that moment instead of continuing her and Maggie’s conversation. She had thought that she was at least somewhat prepared to talk about it, about the kiss and what it could have meant, but all she seemed to do was get lost in her own thoughts.

 

Maggie immediately picked up on Alex’s hesitancy.

 

“Okay. Tell me if I’m wrong, but I’m getting the feeling you’d never done that before,” she said.

 

“Kissed someone?” Alex asked. “Believe it or not, I have actually done that before. God, was I that bad?” She laughed nervously.

 

“No, I meant you’d never kissed a girl. Right, Danvers?”

 

At that moment, Alex felt like she had had the wind knocked out of her. Her world seemed to come to a screeching halt as Maggie’s words sank in. _I meant you’d never kissed a girl._ Well, that thought was completely new to her. She had been so wrapped up in the kissing-Maggie part of things that she hadn’t even thought about the whole kissing-a-girl aspect of it all. _As if she needed to be even more confused right now._

 

“Right,” Alex repeated, slightly dazed. _Did kissing Maggie mean she liked girls?_ “But I’m not –“ she stammered, unable to get the words out, ”I don’t… at least I don’t think I am.”

 

Her mind was reeling. She had hoped talking to Maggie would help clarify things, set her thoughts straight. But now all she could think about was the fact that Maggie was a girl. A girl who she felt way more comfortable around than any of the guys she had dated in the past. And she had kissed her.

 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Maggie said reassuringly. “No rush.”

 

“I think I need some sleep,” Alex said slowly, running a hand through her hair. “There’s a lot on my mind right now… can I call you back later?”

 

“Yeah, of course,” Maggie replied.

 

“Okay… goodnight.”

 

“Night. Oh, and Danvers?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Just for the record, you’re not a bad kisser.”

 

“Good to know,” Alex said, blushing furiously. She was grateful Maggie couldn’t see her right then. Alex quickly ended the call, tossing the phone on her couch. She didn’t know exactly what time it was but she reasoned that a good night’s sleep was just what she needed. In the morning, she would wake up and decide what to do about it all. Maybe she wouldn’t even think about what Maggie had said, chalking the kiss up to a spur of the moment decision and nothing more.

 

* * *

 

That wasn’t the case at all. Alex woke up feeling like she had barely slept. All night she had been wide awake thinking about Maggie, about how being around her felt and how kissing her had felt. And what scared her the most was the fact that she didn’t entirely hate the idea of any of it. In fact, there was a part deep down inside of her that wondered if maybe there was something to what she herself had been thinking since that conversation with Maggie. These thoughts nagged at Alex in the back of her mind as she got out of bed. She could hear her phone – which she usually kept on her nightstand – vibrate from the other room. _Right. It was still on the couch._ She automatically assumed that it was Maggie calling. Why that was she wasn’t sure, since she had been the one to say she would call Maggie back.

 

Alex walked into the room and checked her phone, seeing that it was actually a text from Kara.

 

 _Hey, hope you worked things out with Maggie!_ Kara’s message read. _If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know_ _:)_

Alex smiled. Leave it to Kara to check up on her. She hoped that later she would have the chance to do just that – work things out with Maggie. Not in the way Kara had envisioned, as Alex and Maggie hadn’t gotten in a fight or anything like that. Still, Alex wasn’t entirely sure where their relationship stood. Maybe Maggie would be willing to meet up with her somewhere and continue last night’s conversation. And maybe, just maybe, Alex could somehow start to make sense of what exactly she was feeling. _Oh, if Kara only knew._


	5. Chapter 5

Alex was grateful that Director Henshaw hadn't called her into work that day as she didn't think she would have been able to focus. She busied herself by making breakfast - nothing too fancy, just scrambled eggs, toast with butter, and a glass of orange juice. The toast had burnt a little around the edges because she had been too preoccupied with thinking about what she would say to Maggie to realize that it had popped. 

 

While Alex sat at the table and ate the breakfast she had made, she replied to Kara's text so her sister wouldn't be too concerned. _Getting there with Maggie... don't worry,_ Alex typed. _How's work?_

 

She added the last bit almost as an afterthought, as it seemed trivial but necessary for her to ask. She sent the message, receiving a text back from Kara just moments after.

 

 _Great to hear!! Work's been ok. Would've liked to spend my_ _Saturday_ _sleeping in though :P_

 

 _Oh right, it was_ _Saturday_ _._ When Kara had mentioned needing to get up early for work the next morning, Alex hadn't even realized it was a weekend.

 

 _Why did you have to go in on a_ _Saturday_ _anyways?_ she typed back.

 

_Editorial meeting. (Sigh.) At least there's food?_

 

Alex couldn't help but laugh. Of course Kara would mention the fact that there was food. That was just so typical of her.

 

_Anyways I've got to go - talk later!_

 

Alex sighed as she put down the phone. Talking to her sister about her day had made her feel a much-needed sense of normalcy - not that the Danvers sisters' lives were exactly normal, of course. She that the next time she talked to Kara, she would have things figured out. After finishing her breakfast, Alex went to go get ready for the day. She stepped into the shower and turned on the tap, closing her eyes as the hot water ran over her body. It instantly relaxed her. Alex wasn't usually one for having long showers, preferring to be as efficient as possible in the morning, but right now it was a welcome reprieve from the nerves she'd been feeling. The droplets of water felt soothing on her skin, making her less tense. 

 

After Alex had showered, she stepped out into the steam-filled bathroom and wrapped her hair in a towel. She selected an outfit for the day, opting for a simple combination of a burgundy sweater and black jeans. Once she was dressed, Alex went back into the kitchen. Her phone was still sitting on the kitchen table where she had left it. She picked it up, seeing that it was a little after 10 am now. Much to her relief, there were no texts or missed calls from Maggie. True to her word, the other girl was letting Alex take her time with things - a gesture that Alex appreciated. She took a deep breath before dialing Maggie's number. Hopefully Maggie would pick up. She held the phone to her ear.

 

"Sawyer. It's me."

 

"Yo, Danvers," Maggie greeted her, a hint of a smile in her voice. "How'd you sleep?"

 

"Okay, thanks for asking," Alex replied. She was grateful that Maggie had asked. "There's just been a lot on my mind..."

 

"Yeah, I've noticed. Are you ready to talk about it then?"

 

"About that..." Alex said, leaning against the counter, “I do want to talk about it. But I was thinking, maybe we could go somewhere?”

 

“Right now I’m still at the precinct. But I’m off in an hour, so if you want to meet me outside then sure, we could go somewhere and talk.”

 

“Yeah, sure, that’ll work!” Alex said. “I guess I’ll see you soon then.”

 

“See you there, Danvers.”

 

Well, the first step was done now: calling Maggie back. Now she just had to actually meet up with her and talk things through.

 

* * *

 

About an hour later, Alex stood outside the precinct as she waited for Maggie. It didn’t take long for the other girl to appear, walking outside and smiling as soon as she saw Alex.

 

“Hey, Danvers.” she said. She walked over to where Alex was standing.

 

“Hey,” Alex replied, giving Maggie a small smile back. It was strange to be so casual with her after what had happened last night at the bar. “How was work?”

 

The two of them began to walk down the street as they talked, neither of them knowing exactly where they were headed.

 

“Oh, you know, the usual. Dealing with all kinds of weird alien stuff and then filling out paperwork about it. So, where do you want to go?”

 

She tilted her head in Alex’s direction, waiting for a response.

 

“Well, there’s a café not too far from here that we could go to… I mean, usually I’d suggest the bar but I think it would be nice to talk things through somewhere that doesn’t serve alcohol, you know?” Alex rambled. She blushed.

 

Maggie smiled, finding Alex’s nervousness endearing.

 

“Sounds good to me.”

 

They made small talk for the few minutes it took them to get to the café, which, as Alex had said, wasn’t far away at all. Once they were inside, Alex spotted a nearby table and sat down. Maggie joined her, sitting across from her –much as they had the previous night. The café had a comfortable feel to it. It was fairly quiet, given that it was just before the lunch rush. Music was playing over the speakers, an old rock song that Alex had heard before. She took a deep breath.

 

“There’s – there’s something I want to tell you,” Alex started. She hesitated before continuing, not knowing exactly how to say what she wanted to.

 

Maggie nodded, giving Alex the go-ahead to continue.

 

“After last night, well, I was thinking about things –about what happened at the bar with, with us – and the thing is,” – Alex took a deep breath, knowing that this was the moment of truth – “I think… I think that I really do like you. In… in that way…”

 

She trailed off mid-sentence before composing herself and finishing the thought, allowing the words she’d been turning over in her mind to surface for the first time.

 

“I think I have feelings for you.”


	6. Chapter 6

Maggie smiled at Alex, looking back at her with an unreadable expression on her face. Alex felt her heart pounding inside of her chest. _She’d said it._ There was no taking back the words now. It was up to Maggie to decide what to do with them.

 

“And you’re sure,” Maggie said slowly, as if she was taking the time to process what Alex had just confessed herself.

 

“Yeah,” Alex said, her voice wavering slightly. “Well, pretty sure. And sober, too.”

 

“Okay! Just wanna check, you mean _those_ kind of feelings, right?” Maggie asked, tilting her head in Alex’s direction. Her eyes shone brightly with excitement as she awaited Alex’s confirmation.

 

“If the kind of feelings you’re thinking of are the same feelings that made me want to, you know, kiss you last night… then yeah. Those kind.”

 

Alex smiled softly at Maggie, waiting for her to say something in response. She was dying to know if Maggie thought about her the same way. But Maggie was quiet. She looked into Alex’s eyes, seeing the sincerity behind them. There was something about the way she looked at Maggie, so hopeful and full of genuine adoration, that made Maggie want to tear down every wall she’d built around her heart. And over the years, those walls had become pretty solid.

 

“I haven’t exactly had a stellar track record when it comes to dating,” Maggie admitted. “Not that I’ve dated a lot. But it seems like every time I find a girl I really like, it doesn’t work out. Just when I think we could be moving forward, she’ll end things. Say she isn’t looking for anything serious, or that she’s met someone else.”

 

Maggie sighed.

 

“Oh, I – I’m really sorry to hear that. But why are you telling me all this?” Alex asked, confused. She looked at Maggie expectantly.

 

“My point is,” Maggie said, looking away, “I’m not exactly the best date material. Kind of a disaster at the whole dating thing, actually. And Danvers,” – she paused, turning back to meet Alex’s gaze. She leaned forward a little. “ _Alex_ , I really like you. A lot, actually.”

 

At that moment, Alex felt as if a weight had been lifted from her chest. She let out a deep breath she didn’t even realize she’d been holding. _Maggie liked her. A lot._ Alex felt like she was dreaming.

 

“But,” Maggie started, jolting Alex back to reality.

 

_Oh. There was a ‘but’._

“I don’t want to jump into anything with someone who’s just testing the waters. I’ve been there before and it didn’t end well.”

 

Alex shook her head.

 

“That’s not what this is!” she exclaimed, quickly interjecting before Maggie could say anything else. “I’ve been thinking about all of this, about these feelings, ever since I left the bar and it’s made me think about other feelings I might have had before. That I never did anything about because I didn’t think anything of them at the time.”

 

Maggie looked at her, listening intently.

 

“But after last night, I’ve been thinking about them a lot. I’m not just testing the waters, instead, it’s like,” – Alex took a shaky breath, grasping for the right words – “it’s like a part of me that I’ve kept hidden away for so long without even knowing it is finally coming to the surface. And, well, the thing is… I want to embrace it. With you.”

 

Alex smiled warmly at Maggie, hoping that her words were convincing enough.

 

Maggie bit her lip.

 

“Look, I’m not saying that I’m not interested,” Maggie said gently. “I just think it would be a good idea for you to give seeing other people a try – at least for a little while. See if you feel the same way.”

 

Alex blinked in surprise, taken aback by Maggie’s words.

 

“You… want me to try going on a date with someone else?” she asked incredulously.

 

Maggie nodded.

 

“Just to see how it goes. And how about this, I’ll make you a deal.”

 

She rested her elbows on the table, looking at Alex. Her eyes were sincere, sparkling a little in the light.

 

“If you go out with another girl this week and it doesn’t work out – and you still feel the same way about me – then we can revisit things. See what happens from there. How does that sound?”

 

 _Okay, so it wasn’t a complete no_ , Alex rationalized. _Maybe she still had a chance with Maggie. All she had to do was go on a date…_

 

“Yeah, okay, I can do that,” Alex stammered. She got up from her seat, standing with her hands in her pockets as she faced Maggie.

“Yeah? Great!” Maggie exclaimed, standing up as well. She stepped closer to Alex, and casually slung an arm around her shoulder, unaware of just how much that friendly gesture was making Alex’s heart race.

 

“See you around, Danvers.”

 

With that, Maggie walked out of the café, leaving Alex to think about how on earth she was going to manage finding a date instead of staying hung up on the girl she’d fallen head over heels for all week.


	7. Chapter 7

It was Wednesday now, and Alex still hadn't managed to go on a date. Granted, she'd been working most of the week - even going so far as to work overtime at the DEO most days just to avoid Maggie. She hadn't called or texted Alex at all. In fact, Alex had only crossed paths with her once since Saturday, which was slightly awkward to say the least.

The situation had arisen only a day ago, when Alex and Kara (well, Supergirl) had been called in to investigate what appeared to be some kind of alien technology. It didn't look like something from Krypton - at least not according to Kara. Kara deemed it harmless as far as she could see, cautiously picking it up and handing it to her sister for further examination. Alex was analyzing it when all of a sudden, she heard a police car pull up. The person who exited the vehicle and entered the scene was someone all too familiar. _Of course._

"Hey Danvers," Maggie remarked, tilting her head in Alex's direction. "What you got there?"

"Sawyer," Alex replied coolly. She wasn't going to let her feelings get in the way of her work. "It's a - um, you know, I'm not exactly sure what it is..."

 _So much for staying calm._ Maggie was making this impossible for her. Even just seeing her again made Alex grow incredibly flustered. She quickly looked away and thrust the alien object into Kara's hands.

"Maybe you should just let Winn check this out, this tech stuff is more his thing anyway."

Alex turned and walked away, leaving a very confused Kara behind. Kara had no idea what had caused this sudden change in her sister's behavior - at least, not until she noticed Maggie, who was standing a few feet away. Kara looked from Maggie back to Alex, who clearly wanted to get out of there as fast as she could. She made a mental note to ask Alex later what exactly had happened between the two of them.

No matter how much Alex tried to stop it from happening, her thoughts were filled with Maggie and not much else. It was midway through the week, which meant that she was running out of time to go out with someone new. The problem was that Alex didn't exactly know how she was supposed to find a date - especially not another girl who would be interested. She was still trying to come to terms with what her feelings for Maggie could mean, because she didn't know anything outside of the absolute certainty that she liked Maggie.

Suddenly, a thought came to Alex. It struck her with how obvious it was, and yet at the same time she couldn't believe she was actually considering it. After doing some investigating online and writing down the address she needed, Alex had a plan. Well, somewhat of a plan. She didn't know what was going to happen when she got there. Hell, she didn't know if there would be anyone she'd be interested in. But she reasoned that if she could fight off hostile aliens, then she could do this. After all, how much scarier could it be?

* * *

 

 

The last place that Alex Danvers expected to find herself on a Wednesday night was at a gay bar. National City had a few, but this one, Mynx, seemed like it was more upscale than most. It was also primarily catered towards women - another reason why Alex had chosen this particular one. She walked through the doors in her little black dress, heart beating fast and not knowing what to expect. Much to Alex's surprise, it didn't seem that different from a regular bar. There was music blasting over the speakers, a bar area stationed a little off to the side, couples dancing together...

_Oh. That was definitely different._

She couldn't help but notice that most of the couples were same-sex pairs. There were lots of girls dancing together in a way that definitely was not platonic, and a handful of guys doing the same. They danced with their partners as if they didn't have a care in the world. Alex was intimidated by their confidence. She felt so out of place amongst them, wishing that she could just grab someone to dance with and join in. It looked like they were all having such a fun time. But everywhere she looked, people seemed to be paired up or with a group of friends. _Maybe coming here was a mistake._

Alex stood there, feeling as if she was frozen to the spot. A club remix of a popular song that was overplayed on the radio blasted through the speakers. Neon strobe lights flashed from overhead. It was so much to take in. Alex's head felt like it was pounding and she hadn't even had a drink yet. But maybe a drink was just what she needed. After all, a bit of liquid courage could make her feel more at ease. Alex made a beeline for the bar area and took a seat on one of the leather stools.

"Two shots of whiskey, please," she said to the bartender, a short blonde woman with a pixie cut. Alex reached into the pocket of her leather jacket and took out a ten dollar bill, sliding it onto the countertop.

"Sure thing, sweetheart!" the woman said, winking at Alex.

Alex realized in stunned silence that the woman was trying to flirt with her. However, it didn't make her feel anything except incredibly awkward. _Maybe she's just not my type?_ Alex thought.

A few moments later, and the bartender had returned with the shots of whiskey Alex had ordered. Alex quickly thanked her, downing them in rapid succession. She set the shotglasses down on the countertop and went to stand up again, already feeling a little bit of a buzz from the alcohol. For a second Alex thought she saw Maggie, which made her tense up. Upon a second glance though, she realized her mind was playing tricks on her, as the woman only looked similar in passing.

Just as Alex was starting to feel hopeless about the whole situation, she noticed a girl sitting by herself at the other end of the bar. The girl had long dark hair that fell just past her shoulders and wore a dark red dress. She didn't appear to have come with anyone. Alex walked over to her, feeling a sudden surge of confidence.

"Is anyone sitting here?" she asked.

"There's not, actually. Do you want to sit -"

The girl looked up from her drink, which she had been stirring around idly, and met Alex's gaze. She raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it seems we've met before," she said with a smile. "You're the one who saved my life!"

Alex's eyes widened, realization slowly dawning on her. _Shit._

"Wait - you're..." she stammered.

The girl nodded.

"I feel like I should properly introduce myself though."

She extended a hand towards Alex, smiling as she did so.

"Lena Luthor. And you are?" 


	8. Chapter 8

_Lena Luthor._ Even though she'd introduced herself, Alex was already very much aware of exactly who she was currently talking to. Not only was Lena a well-known public figure in National City, being the CEO of the recently rebranded L-Corp, but Alex had, as Lena said, saved her life. The exact details of the incident were fuzzy in Alex's mind - she vaguely recalled something about a public ceremony and aliens attacking - but the woman in front of her was unmistakably Lena. Lena looked at Alex expectantly, waiting for her to offer an introduction of her own.

"Oh, right," Alex said, becoming attentive. "I'm Alex. Alex Danvers."

Lena raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Alex. You wouldn't happen to be related to Kara Danvers by any chance, would you?" she asked, taking a sip of her drink.

"Yeah, actually I am," Alex said confidently. "Kara's my sister."

"So you're the sister Kara's mentioned," Lena said with a smile. "I've heard about you."

"You have?" Alex asked in surprise.

Lena nodded.

"All good things, of course."

She noticed that Alex was still standing, despite there being several stools to sit down on.

"You're welcome to sit down if you'd like," Lena offered.

Alex obliged, sitting down on the stool beside Lena.

"I didn't realize you and Kara were friends," she said. While Alex knew that Kara had interviewed Lena before as part of her new reporting gig, she was unaware that their relationship extended beyond a solely professional one.

"She's my only friend in National City, actually." Lena smiled as she thought of Kara. "Unless you want to be friends as well?"

Lena's piercing blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the light as she looked at Alex. Alex couldn't help thinking that Lena was incredibly pretty. Her dark hair framed her face perfectly, and she looked stunning in her red dress. These weren't drunken thoughts either, since Alex had decided to forgo the usual bottle of whiskey in favor of settling for just a couple shots. They were just observations. She wanted to make sure that she did this the right way, knowing that the alcohol wasn't clouding her judgement.

 _Being friends is a start, right?_ Alex thought. She and Maggie were friends... sort of. Except this wasn't the time to be thinking about Maggie. She quickly reminded herself that Maggie was in fact the whole reason she was here, and focused her attention on Lena.

"I'd be happy to be your friend," Alex said with a smile. _She could do this._

Lena seemed genuinely surprised by Alex's response, as if she wasn't used to people wanting to spend time with her. Which, judging by what she'd said about Kara being her only friend, was true.

"So, as a friend," Alex started, "what are you doing here? I mean, this isn't exactly where I thought someone like - well, like you, would be spending your night."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Lena asked, taking another sip of her drink.

"I mean, this is a..."

Alex gestured to the environment around them, as she found herself struggling to say the word out loud.

"Gay bar?" Lena interjected. "I'm aware."

"Well, yeah." Alex said, feeling incredibly awkward. "You look amazing in that dress by the way. Red's really your colour, wow. And your eyes..."

Alex's cheeks were flushed, and while she wasn't sure if it was from being around Lena or the embarrassment she currently felt after trying to make a move, she was leaning towards both. Her confidence from earlier was nowhere to be found.

"Wait a second," Lena said. She looked at Alex in amusement. "Are you trying to flirt with me?"

Alex gulped. She was way out of her comfort zone. Not only was Lena gorgeous and successful, but she was also apparently close friends with her sister. A fact that Alex was fully aware could lead to disaster if anything were to happen tonight between them.

"Of course not!" Alex said, trying to recover. She laughed nervously. "I mean, why would I be flirting with you? We're just having a nice, friendly conversation. As friends."

Lena folded her arms, looking right at Alex. She could feel the tension between them.

"Let's just say I'm no stranger to what flirting looks like. The compliments, the looks... I've gotten my fair share of them. From boys and girls. Although, I'm only interested in the latter."

Lena's lips curved upwards into a smile, and Alex's eyes widened as she realized what Lena had just said.

"You - you like girls?" she stammered.

"Well yes, I thought you'd have figured that out by now," Lena said smoothly. She didn't seem at all rattled by Alex's question. "It's not exactly my first time here. I have a feeling it's yours, though."  
  
Alex glanced around the bar, suddenly feeling even more self-conscious. Then she looked back at Lena.

"I'm trying to get over someone," she admitted. "And okay, I was flirting with you."

"I knew it," Lena said, looking at Alex with a satisfied smirk.

"Because, well," Alex continued, "I thought if I came here I'd find someone to go out with to get over her. And everyone seemed to be paired up, but you were sitting by yourself and I thought you were really pretty, then I realized who you were and so I thought..."

"Thought what?" Lena asked.

"That flirting with you would boost my confidence," Alex sheepishly admitted. "The girl I'm trying to get over - she wanted me to go out and try to hit it off with someone new."

"Let me guess, you're still not over her."

Alex shook her head and sighed. "It was a silly idea, I shouldn't have come here. And now I'll have to tell her that I didn't go out with anyone, which means I won't have a chance with her."

Lena bit her lip.

"Well, maybe I can help. As a friend."

"How?" Alex asked. Her eyes met Lena's, searching for an answer.

The answer came in the form of Lena's lips meeting her own. Alex was caught by surprise. She kissed Lena back - but it didn't feel quite the same as when she'd kissed Maggie. Not that Lena was a bad kisser. Kissing her was so much better than any boy she'd kissed before. It just felt... _different._ For one thing, Lena wore lipstick. Her lips glided over Alex's skillfully, but Alex was unaccustomed to their smoothness. It was a chaste kiss, lacking the passion Alex had felt when she kissed Maggie, since there were no actual feelings involved on either side.

Alex pulled away after a few seconds. It was clear to her now: although she was pretty sure that she was into girls, Maggie was the only girl she wanted to kiss.

"Well, now I can say I kissed Lena Luthor," she said with a laugh. "But it just - it wasn't the same." She smiled at Lena. "Thanks for clearing that up."

"There you go," Lena said. "Happy to help." She paused. "You know, I'm trying to get over someone too. A girl I don't stand a chance with. She's probably straight."

She finished her drink, setting the empty glass down on the countertop.

"You never know," Alex offered, feeling a renewed sense of hope after the night's events. "Maybe she likes you too!"

"Maybe," Lena said. A tiny smile crept across her lips at the mere thought of her feelings being reciprocated.

Alex got up from the stool and started to leave. Then, a sudden thought occurred to her, a thought that had been in the back of her mind since finding out Lena and her sister were friends.

"You can't tell Kara about any of this, okay? She doesn't know about - about me, and, well... I want to be the one to tell her when the time comes."

"Say no more," Lena said. "Your secret's safe with me. Just don't tell Kara I like her."

Lena's hand flew over her mouth as she realized what she'd just admitted. And to Alex, of all people. Alex stared at Lena in shock.

"Hold up. _Kara_ 's the girl you like? My _sister_?!"

"Just... forget that I told you that," Lena said, embarrassed. "But I promise, I won't tell her that you're gay."

"I'm not -" Alex started, before her thoughts stopped her from continuing. _I'm not gay_ was what she was about to say since she hadn't thought of putting a label to her feelings, but was Lena really wrong? "Thanks," Alex settled for saying instead, grateful that her secret was safe.

Alex said a quick goodbye to Lena, both of them realizing the awkwardness of the situation. As Alex left Mynx and stepped outside, she felt more sure of herself than she'd been in the past few days. She pulled out her phone and saw that she had a few missed texts from Kara, asking what exactly had happened between her and Maggie. Alex figured she'd answer them later. Then, she scrolled through her list of contacts to one that had become very familiar - _Sawyer_. She dialed Maggie's number, hoping for her to pick up, but unfortunately Alex had no such luck. _I'll try again in the morning,_ she decided.

Alex walked over to the lot where her Ducati was parked and revved up the engine. Once she'd unlocked her helmet from the handlebar and put it on she hopped on the bike, beginning the drive back to her apartment. Hopefully Maggie would be excited to find out about Alex's night out - now all Alex had to do was wait until the morning to tell her.

 


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning Alex had woken up in a great mood, the events of last night clear in her mind. She knew now for sure that her feelings for Maggie were real. Now, Alex just had to tell Maggie about her eventful night and she'd be on her way to having an actual date with her. Even the mere prospect of going on a date with Maggie made Alex feel giddy.

She picked up her phone, checking to see if Maggie had texted her at all since she'd called. _No such luck._ Instead, the only texts were the ones Kara had sent last night. Alex frowned, half expecting to see a message from Maggie - even a short one. But then again, there was the fact that they hadn't exactly been keeping in contact with each other lately. And judging by the last conversation they'd had, Alex reasoned that Maggie probably wasn't going to reach out until she knew for sure where Alex stood when it came to her feelings.

Alex sent Kara a quick text, saying that she was "working things out with Maggie... it's complicated" so as not to worry her sister. As much as she didn't like keeping Kara in the dark about the true nature of her and Maggie's relationship, it seemed like the best thing to do at the moment. And hopefully after she talked to Maggie again, things between the two would be much less complicated. Maybe she'd even tell Kara what was really going on...

Taking a deep breath as she dialed Maggie's number, Alex paced around the room. It rang a few times before she heard a familiar voice on the other end of the line. 

"Danvers," Maggie greeted her.

Alex's heart leapt in her chest after hearing Maggie's voice for the first time in a few days.

"Guess what? I went on a date!" Alex exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.

"Wow... you actually did it, Danvers," Maggie said. She sounded impressed. "And how did that go?"

"Well," Alex said confidently, "it went pretty good actually! We even kissed!"

"Sounds like a success then," Maggie said, her tone a little reserved. "So. Where does this leave us?"

Alex continued pacing, realizing how her words must have come across to Maggie.

"But - that's the thing," Alex said in agitation, "my date wasn't a success. Because going out last night was fun and all but it also made me realize... well... I don't want to be with anyone else, Maggie."

Alex could hear her heart pounding in her chest. This time it wasn't due to fear though - it was pure adrenaline coursing through her veins because now she knew what she wanted. Or rather, _who._

"Wait. So you mean..." Maggie started, leaving her words hanging so Alex could finish the sentence.

"Yes. I only want to be with you."

"And you're sure, Alex?" Maggie asked. "'Because like I said, I really like you. But I'm not ready to put my heart on the line if this is all just a maybe."

"I'm sure," Alex insisted. "In fact... I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

She said the last part with a smile, the emotional truth of her words sinking in. It felt to Alex like all the other decisions she'd made in her life had been for the benefit of other people - for Kara, for her parents, her colleagues. She constantly strived to meet expectations, feeling the constant pressure of being held to a certain standard and scared of letting everyone else down. But choosing to embrace her feelings for Maggie was a decision Alex had made for no one but herself. And it just felt... _right._ So yes, Alex was sure.

Maggie was silent for a moment before she spoke again.

"How does tomorrow night sound?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I said if you still felt the same way after seeing someone else, we could revisit things. You know, go out somewhere together..."

"So it's a date?" Alex asked, trying to stay calm. It was finally happening. She was going to go out with Maggie - as more than just friends.

"Yes Danvers, it's a date," Maggie said with a laugh. "How does dinner sound?"

 


End file.
